And then he was Gone
by Synergy Flames
Summary: one shot Christmas Fic. Title says it all.


This is actually SSJ5Tigger here. I decided to start anew with fanfics. Anyway, this was written after a friend of mine died last week. Its about his relationship with his girlfriend (aka my closest friend). One of those mad, romantic, cheesy stories I wrote at Kami knows what time in the morning.

Anyway. Enough of my rambling.

Peter, this fic's for you!

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**And then he was gone**

In the darkened shadows where snowflakes fear to fall, he waits; a figment of an imagination. Forever will a pane of glass separate him from this world, from our world. But it doesn't matter to him. It's exactly the way he wants it to be…in a twisted way, he's in his heaven, studying the foolishness that we call life.

Then its no wonder he has a…I suppose you could call it a fascination with our world; with the actions he could never perform, thoughts he could never dream and emotions he could never feel.

So the heavens took pity on the shadow of a man by granting him one week on earth. Just one month to learn everything earth had to offer.

And in that week, he was found everywhere, wandering our cities and towns, drinking in every last drop of our lives so he could half-experience life.

He could have been anything and everything he wants to be because God never gave him a chance to exist. Content in his half life, though never happy, he never wanted anything more. To him, one week was enough.

But that was about to change...

In his attempt to quench his enthralment with man, he met someone. She had something he had never seen before and when he was with her, he could feel. He felt emotions that confused him, things he didn't know were possible to feel. But one stood out the most. It felt like his heart was able to leap from his chest, it felt like nothing mattered but her, it felt like…magic.

And he had only met her yesterday.

They had meet in a music store; he was sampling some of Earth's finest authors (and some not so fine) and she was searching for a present. And, in the cliché beginning of most fiction, they had first glance at each other over the same book.

"Oh, I'm sorry" She blushed, dropping the book as if it had scolded her hand

"That's alright" His mouth twitched in his attempt to smile at her and he held out the novel to her "Would you like this?"

"Oh, no, it's ok" She stammered, pushing his hand away "You had it first"

"I will just throw it away once I have read it" He replied, prying it into her hand "you have it"

He cocked his head to the side, studying her as she bowed her head to cover her flushed cheeks. Her hair, long black locks that tumbled in curls on shoulders, shone in the strobe lights. He took a curl in his hand and ran his fingers through it, bewildered by its softness.

"What are you doing?" She asked, alarmed by his actions

"You're hair" He whispered, gazing at it intensely with a soft frown "It's very soft"

She blushed once more, a wild fire spreading across her face

"Why do you blush?" He asked, releasing the curl from his hands "Have I offended you?"

"No" She said, quickly, shaking her head furiously "No" She repeated once more, softly

"Are you on your period?"

He had read about the female anatomy, particularly about the reproductive system of a female. He knew that when on the "time of the month", women often had hot flushes.

"What?" She cried, feeling incredibly flushed "No!"

"Then why were you blushing?"

"Because you embarrassed me!"

"Then I am sorry" He bowed slightly "I did not mean to embarrass you"

"No- you…I...Ack!" She grumbled in frustration

"Have I embarrassed you again?"

He looked innocent, deep wide eyes, head titled to one side in confusion and she let out a tiny giggle "No, its ok. Forget about it"

"If you want me to, I will"

She laughed louder "Are you doing anything today?"

"I am exploring the 'shops'" He replied, looking around him at the people who flooded the floor "Are all shops like this?"

"At Christmas, yes" She smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear "You looking for Christmas presents?"

"What are Christmas presents?" He asked with a slight frown

"You know – Gifts that are exchanged at Christmas"

He gave her a blank look

"To celebrate the birth of Jesus?"

"Jesus Christ?" The name rang a bell "The main character in the bible?"

She chuckled "Yes, I suppose he is"

"Ah, yes. I see" He nodded, satisfied at her answer

"So...you buying gifts for your family?"

"Family?" He rolled the name around in his mind before shaking his head "No. No family for me"

"Oh" She whispered, biting her lip once more "I'm sorry"

"There is no reason to be sorry" He frowned, confused at her sympathy "Are you buying presents?"

"For my parents, yeah" She held up the book "My brother wants this"

"Will he be happy to receive it?"

"I hope so"

"Then I am glad"

She laughed, her eyes lighting up in amusement "Do you want to go have a coffee? With me?"

"I'm not sure what coffee is" He frowned again

"Then you must try it!" She declared, placing a hand on his arm "Please?"

He nodded, deciding to try this "coffee" for the sake of another experience

"By the way, what's your name?"

A name? He never had a name before. Never had a reason for one. He searched the shelves for a name to go by before his eyes settled on the author of the book in her hands "Trunks"

"Nice to meet you Trunks" She smiled, holding out her free hand "I'm Pan"

And that was their beginning. She captivated him just by speaking of her everyday things and while he had no life to speak of, she was still engrossed by his questions. The next few days leading up to Christmas were spent with each other. She took him to places he hadn't even heard of; restaurants, theatres, ice rinks – and while he couldn't understand the need to eat with forks or the need to know how to skate – he enjoyed every waking moment with Pan. With her, he forgot he didn't exist, he forgot his time limit, he forgot the world he came from.

Finally, he was someone – He was Trunks, friend of Pan. He wanted things he never thought were possible; he wanted to be more then a ghost, to be more then a bystander, to be more then her friend.

But time slowly set in his mind and he was made to remember that Christmas Eve was his last night on earth. He remembered he would no longer exist after that night. He remembered that he would no longer see Pan. He remembered that she didn't know who or what he was. He remembered...

It was the night of her friend's Christmas party and he had been invited as a friend of Pan. She had insisted on meeting him at the party, rather then be picked up at her house. So, there he was, clad in the stiff material of a brand new tuxedo, lost in the swarm of socializing singletons and searching for her.

"Hello" He heard her voice whisper in his ear, tickling his lobe with her breath "I've been looking for you"

"I was looking for you too" He replied, spinning around to face her. He blinked at the dazzling silver that hung from her body, trying to remember if he had ever seen that dress before. The gentle shimmer of the silver on her ears, on her neck, on her lips drew him in like a moth to a flame, entrancing him with its glitter

"Then you found me" She smiled, spinning around for him, the dress dancing around her ankles "Do you like my dress?"

"You look beautiful" He whispered, taking her hand. She blushed softly, still not used to his honesty that took form of a compliment.

"Thank you" She replied as stood close to him . His heart beat increased to phenomenal speeds and it felt like it would leap from his chest, just like it did every time he was with her "You clean up pretty good yourself"

"I did shower" He admitted and she giggled, bewildering him once more at what humour she had found in his comment.

"Would you like to dance with me?"

"I don't know how" He looked to the people on the floor that waltzed in time to the band "It looks quite complicated"

"I can teach you" She smiled, pulling him behind her. He stumbled along, confused at her antics but decided to play along anyway. With a huge smile, she took his hand and placed it on her hip, holding his free hand with her's.

"Now" She said as the next song started "Follow my lead"

And so, after practice and a few stepped on toes, he was swirling and twirling around the dance floor with Pan in his arms.

Something strange began to bubble in his throat and his whole face ached from- smiling? He caught a glance at himself in a window. He was smiling? With a cough, a laugh flew from his lips, though small, it sent glee shooting through his body. He was laughing! Such a peculiar feeling laughter was...but he loved it. It was terribly addictive and he wanted more, he wanted to laugh forever!

"Wow" Pan giggled, unable to stop herself from laughing along.

"What?" He asked with a huge grin spread ear to ear

"In all the time I've known you, I've never once seen you smile"

"Does it offend you?"

"Not at all" She said quickly as his grin began to fade "You look incredibly handsome, smiling"

"Then I shall smile on!" He laughed, dipping her to the floor "If it pleases you"

"I'm not sure if you carry on smiling forever"

He nearly dropped her. Forever? He had forever in solitude. He had forever to be alone. After tonight, he would never be with Pan again. No, he did not have forever to smile. Only tonight.

"I must tell you something" He whispered, bowing his head despite her attempt to keep it in place

"What's wrong?" She had pulled herself up and, in the middle of the dancing couples, held his face to her

"Go on"

"Not here" He replied, glancing at people on the side-lines watching them "Is there somewhere quiet we can go?"

"Follow me" She took his hand firmly in her's, the contact awaking the butterflies in his stomach. What was this feeling? He didn't like it, it felt strange. But he couldn't stop it. Even looking at her face which usually sent his heart aflutter made the butterflies spin faster.

He looked in wonder at the winter wonderland she had presented him with. Snow had fallen the day before so the whole garden was glittering a pearly white. The fountain was frozen in place as if sculpted from ice; with the angels coated in glinting ice and the stone flowers flickering between grey and white.

"Its cold" She whispered, her breath rolling from her lips in a misty cloud as her teeth chatter. Gently, he placed his jacket on her shoulders, pulling it around her to keep her warm.

"No I can't, you must be frozen" She attempted to give his jacket back but he wouldn't have it.

"No, you're much colder then I" He argued, buttoning the jacket around her

"Thank you" She smiled softly, the chattering on her teeth seizing

Above them, the rain clouds rumbled with thunder and its underbelly glowed in the unseen lighting. But, peaking through the thick grey cotton of the clouds, the moon gleamed through so the snow could glitter in its rays.

"You better hurry. It's about to snow"

He looked to the heavens just in time for a lone snowflake to fall on his noses. Confused, his eyes crossed in his attempt to gaze upon the cause of the icy sensation on his nose.

"Here" She giggled, stepping towards him "Let me-"

She brushed a finger on his nose and held the snowflake for him to see

"What is it?" He asked touching it as it began to disappear

"A snowflake" She replied before she began to realize just how close she was standing to him. He felt himself drowning in her eyes, their crystal pools pulling him closer to her.

"Trunks" She sighed, her breath tickling his nose and cheeks and lips. Her face felt like it was on fire; the burning blood spreading through her skin.

He wasn't sure what was happening nor what the urge inside of him was telling him to do. He stood there, frozen in place, an inch away from her lips. He had never read about this in books nor had he seen it on his travels but it felt...wondrous.

She slowly drew towards him and her eyes closed suddenly as she pressed her lips to him. His eyes widened as her hands snaked around him, tangling themselves in his muddy brown strands. He didn't understand what he was meant to do yet he didn't want it to stop. So he stood, arms slowly twinning around her body and eyes closing as he began to kiss back.

"Wow" She muttered, pulling away from him before resting her forehead on his.

"What was that?" He whispered, arms wrapped firmly around her waist

"A kiss" She replied, resting her hands around his neck. She pecked him quickly on the lips and he grinned

"I liked it" He smiled, returning the favour

"So, what did you want to tell me?"

He sighed, resting his head on her shoulder as reality began to set in, "I have to go"

"Go?" She echoed, "Go where?"

"I'm not sure what to call it" He replied, burying himself in her hair

"When will you be back"

"I won't"

"You're not coming back?" She pushed him away, holding him at arms length "Why?"

The glistening tears in her eyes broke his heart and the heavens seem to cry for him. Like rain, the snow fell, weaving themselves in his hair, in her hair; soaking them slowly as each flake melted. With his thumbs, he wiped away the tears that fell from her eyes and kissed the ones he had missed. Above them, the clock chimed, the sickly bells counting down his last seconds on earth.

"I must leave now" He said, kissing her once more on the lips "I'm sorry"

"I don't want you to" She clung to him, clutching the fabric of his soaked shirt in her hands "Please, stay"

"I can't" He felt something prickling at his eyes. Tears?

"Please" She whimpered, looking at him with glossy eyes and mascara stained cheeks "I love you"

He sighed, kissing her forehead as he began to fade to the chiming of the clock.

"I'm sorry" He whispered as her hands passed through him

"Stay with me" She tried to hug him again but, like before, her arms fazed through him so she hugged herself instead

"Just forget me" The tears marred his face, pouring from his eyes, collecting on the lips that she longed to kiss once more.

"I can't" She sobbed, clawing at his image in a desperate attempt to hold him

"Forget me" He kissed her once last time and she closed her eyes, trying to feel the warmth from his lips. Nothing. With a sigh, she opened her eyes, both of them blood shot and puffy.

And he was gone.

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Hoped it wasnt too sappy.  
Sorry if it was

A review would be nice;  
What I did badly, what I should work on, if you liked it...

Ya know.

Synergy Flames


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